INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun 16 Pages – Free
Vol. 141, No. 15
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2025 n ITHACA, NEW YORK
News
Opinion
Sports
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Connecting Cornellians
Pouring Paint
Beat the Bobcats
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With over 33,000 LinkedIn followers, Tony Chen ’12 is on a mission: “I’m trying to meet every Cornellian.” | Page 12
Opinion Editor Henry Schechter ’26 defends A.D. White as a historical standout after his statue was defaced. | Page 7
Cornell Women’s Hockey completed the weekend sweep with a 4-1 win over No. 10 Quinnipiac. | Page 16
HIGH: 16° LOW: 10°
Activists Vandalize A.D. White Statue on First Day By JULIA SENZON Sun Managing Editor
The first day of classes has once again been met with pro-Palestinian vandalism. “Divest from death” and “occupation=death” were spray painted in dark red on the Andrew Dickson White statue on the Arts Quad on Tuesday morning. The historic statue was also smeared with bright red paint resembling blood. The act mirrored the first day of classes of the fall 2024 semester, when “Israel bombs, Cornell pays” and “Blood is on your hands” were spray painted in red along the front entrance of Day Hall — Cornell’s main administrative building. In a statement to The Sun, the activists behind the Tuesday graffiti said, “We demand that Cornell divests from the weapons manufacturers that make genocide possible.” “A ceasefire will save lives, and we hope it will be permanent,” the activists, who asked to remain anonymous, wrote. “But a ceasefire is not a free Palestine, and we will organize until we see a liberated Palestine free from genocide, occupation, and apartheid.” A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas went into effect on Sunday. The deal starts with a six-week period in which 33 Israeli hostages in Gaza and more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners are set to be released. The ceasefire marks the first pause in fighting in over a year and allows six hundred trucks carrying humanitarian relief into Gaza each day. “In the words of National Students for Justice in
Palestine, ‘A ceasefire is only the beginning. Divestment now,’” the activists wrote. The quote refers to a Thursday announcement from National SJP — which supports over 400 SJP chapters — of a “January 21 Day of Action” to “demand accountability from our institutions” and “keep the call for divestment and an arms embargo until our universities have severed ties from all entities that made this genocide possible.” In a statement to The Sun, the University wrote that the Cornell University Police Department is investigating the vandalism of the A.D. White statue.
“Vandalism violates our code of conduct and the law. ... We are committed to identifying the perpetrators responsible.” Cornell Media Relations “Vandalism violates our code of conduct and the law,” the statement read. “Graffiti is property damage, which is a crime. We are committed to identifying the perpetrators responsible.” The statement described that CUPD is asking people who “may have witnessed anything or anyone out of the ordinary in that area” to contact Cornell Police Investigations at cup-inv@cornell.edu or 607-254-3351. Julia Senzon can be reached at jsenzon@cornellsun.com.
MING DEMERS / SUN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Statue stained | Students found A.D. White coated in red as they walked to class on the first day back from break.
What to Know About Cornell’s New V.P. Ryan Lombardi Expressive Policy Recommendations Takes Spring 2025 By AVERY WANG Sun Senior Writer
Jan. 20 — In the spring of 2024, the Interim Expressive Activity Policy faced faculty protests with crowds of nearly 200 and student leaders calling for its suspension. Now, the controversial policy is being prepared for its final version. The Interim Expressive Activity Policy, originally released on Jan. 24, 2024, and updated on March 11, 2024, outlined “expectations for Cornell students, faculty, and staff participating in expressive activity.” After its rocky release and a spring semester filled with increased protest activity, the University tasked the committee in May with recommending a final expressive activity policy that protects free expression and protest while establishing “content-neutral limits that ensure the ability of the University community to pursue its mission.” The Committee on Campus Expressive Activity’s report, released on Dec. 18, 2024, outlines 12 updated recommendations to the policy addressing time, place and manner rules in response to community concerns. As the University completes its policy revision pro-
cess in the coming months, The Sun outlined key details about the updated recommendations and what differs from its controversial predecessor. Pre-Event Scheduling The committee maintained its approach that scheduling and registering campus events on 25Live, particularly those involving expressive activity, remain “recommended but not required.” The committee expressed its strong support that the University “develop a rapid response scheduling option to accommodate more spontaneous activities, including expressive activities.” They recognize that the University Events Team scheduling website registration requirement of two to four weeks in advance, depending on event size, is “not well suited to certain types of campus events, including some expressive activities.” The current Interim Expressive Activity Policy “strongly encourage[s]” but does not require space reservations for indoor and outdoor demonstration activities. Amplified Sound Under the Interim Expressive Activity Policy, public address systems or amplified sound may only
be used on Ho Plaza and in front of Day Hall between noon and 1 p.m. without prior approval from the University Events Team. Previously, using amplified sound at any other time or location required prior written approval. The committee called these restrictions “overly narrow,” and has since recommended that amplified sound use be permitted between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Expressive activity organizers are expected to avoid locations where evening classes are held. The report notes that many peer universities permit significant disruptive sound between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., a period when fewer classes are held, reducing the likelihood of amplified sound interfering with classroom activities. Postering and Open Flames Under the committee’s most recent recommendation, outdoor expressive activities involving open flames “should” follow the fire safety code policies, including completion of a candle use permit form. To continue reading this article, please visit www.cornellsun.com. Avery Wang can be reached at awang@cornellsun.com.
Semester Sabbatical By MATTHEW KIVIAT Sun News Editor
Ryan Lombardi, the vice president for student and campus life, will take a sabbatical during the Spring 2025 semester, according to a statement sent to The Sun by Dean of Students Marla Love. Cornell Student and Campus Life works to provide a variety of programs and services across campus to support the student body, including Cornell Health, Athletics and Physical Education and the Einhorn Center for Community Engagement. Love said that the semester-long break from the University was granted to Lombardi in May 2024 by former president Martha Pollack and the Board of Trustees and that it “reflects the institution’s deep commitment to his leadership and to Student & Campus Life’s purpose to inspire transformation.” The sabbatical follows a turbulent year, with administration facing criticism for its response to student demonstrations and campus tragedies. Lombardi was initially granted the sabbatical after the Spring 2024 semester, following the pro-Palestinian encampment on the Arts Quad staged by the Coalition for Mutual Liberation — a collection of over 40 campus and local organizations. During this encampment, Lombardi was involved in communicating with protesters, expressing the University’s disapproval. His involvement in student protests continued into the Fall 2024 semester, where he dealt with the suspension of student activist Momodou Taal, who participated in a protest that shut down a career fair featuring defense contractors Boeing and L3Harris. According to Taal, Lombardi denied his suspension appeal after one business day. Lombardi was also a primary University spokesperson during a week of tragedies in November 2024, communicating resources and encouraging students to “lean on each other and show support, empathy and care to each other.” To continue reading this article, please visit www.cornellsun.com. Matthew Kiviat can be reached at mkiviat@cornellsun.com.